The government of China's Macao Special Administrative Region is to raise the basic needs subsidy for low-income individuals by 25 percent from April, local media reported Friday.

The Macao Post Daily quoted Ip Peng Kin, president of the Social Welfare Bureau, as saying that the maximum monthly basic needs subsidy will amount to 2,000 patacas (250 U.S. dollars) for an one-person household, 4,890 (611.25 U.S. dollars) for a three- person household and 9,570 (1,196 U.S. dollars) for an eight- person household.

The subsidies are paid on a 13-month basis each year, according to the newspaper.

Some 11,871 people from 5,180 households received basic needs subsidies in February and the region has a population of 500,800.

Source: Xinhua